The Book of Genesis Chapter 21

Genesis 21:1-4 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. 1. What did Abraham name his son by Sarah? 2. Did Abraham circumcise Isaac at the right age? Genesis 21:5-8 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age. And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. 1. What does laugh mean in Hebrew? 2. About what, did Sarah have such merriment in her old age? 3. What did Abraham do on the day that Isaac was weaned? 4. Do you think Sarah deserved merriment in her old age? If so, why? 5. How much do you think Abraham rejoiced after waiting 100 years for a son by Sarah? Genesis 21:9-11 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. 1. What does 'mocking' mean? 2. What Sarah intended for good by scheming (Chapter 16) has turned to ashes. In your opinion does impatience bring about scheming or do lots of other motives cause it? If so, name a few. 3. Is there anyone else who will pay the price for Sarah's scheming? If so, who? 4. Have you ever heard of the *"Code of Hammurabi"? A custom of the times: A maid servant who bears a child by a husband for the wife, can't be sold for money but can be kept as slave. Her sons and the wife's sons inherit all at the time of the husband's death if the husband counted the maids sons with his wife's sons. The sons of the wife are to be the ones to partition and choose. 5. Did Sarah have cause to worry? 6. If Abraham wanted his son Isaac to be his only heir what would Abraham have to do? 7. How do you think Ishmael was raised considering his disrespectful behavior toward his father's wife? Genesis 21:12-14 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 1. How did God advise Abraham to handle Sarah's request? 2. In verse 13 God said, Ishmael would also be a great nation, why would God make Ishmael a great nation? 3. In your opinion do you think God wants all our covenants with Him to be as binding? 4. How old was Ishmael when he was sent away with his mother? 5. Do you think Hagar played any part in Sarah's decision to make Hagar and Ishmael leave? 6. Reading the story of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar did you get the impression that Hagar stayed in the background and let Abraham and Sarah raise Ishmael? Genesis 21:15-21 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt. 1. In your opinion is God being merciful to a slave and her son or does He have a plan, or both? 2. After God showed Hagar the well in the wilderness of Beersheba did she take Ishmael and move on? 3. What did Ishmael become while in the wilderness? 4. Look Archer in your Bible Dictionary. What would an archer be called today? 5. Where did Hagar find a wife for Ishmael? Genesis 21:22-27 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest: Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned. And Abraham said, I will swear. And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away. And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day. And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. 1. Has Abraham been a witness to those around him? 2. Abimelech and Abraham are making a what? 3. Since a well can't be moved, what has been violently stolen? (Gen.26:20). 4. What does reproved mean? 5. When 'reproved' by Abraham what did Abimelech say? 4. What was the covenant, contract, between Abraham and Abimelech? Genesis 21:28-34 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well. Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them. Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines. And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God. And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days. 1. If Abimelech takes the 7 ewe lambs offered at the hand of Abraham they will be a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ that Abraham _ _ _ _ _ _ a well where? 2. Who was the chief Captain of Abimelech's army? 3. Is Phichol mentioned any where else in the Bible outside of this chapter (21)? 4. Whose land was Abraham visiting? 5. Did Abraham plant a grove there? If so, why? 6. What is the Hebrew name for God in verse 33? *The code of Hammurabi: laws set down by a king dated before the Mosaic law. It's only value to Christians is that we find customs in it that were used in Biblical times. A copy of the code of Hammurabi is on the Internet.

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